Yard owner stopping me moving my horse

Suec299

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I have been given notice to leave a private yard, I've paid up my rent to the end of my notice (end of April). Can the yard owner legally stop me leaving before the end of April? She tried to block in the horse transporter collecting my friends ponys last month (she left early) although she had paid up her notice in advance.

Not sure whether this is a civil matter or a criminal one if she blocks me moving my horses prior to the end of the month.

Any views?
 

SaddlePsych'D

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No outstanding issues. The YO is mentally unstable and highly unpredictable.

Thanks, I'll try the BHS legal line

Strange behaviour! If they've given you notice, you've paid and are prepared to leave earlier than the notice period seems like a win win for them. I hope you don't have any problems with the move but from other replies sounds like having some support on moving day would be a good idea just in case. Sounds stressful!
 

Bellaboo18

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No she can't and to be honest I'd think there was more to this story if it hadn't happened to me!

It my case, it was once I'd given notice the yard owner took it personally and completely turned on me :/ So obviously I wanted to move asap and everything had been paid up but she made it as hard as possible.

Turn up and remove your horse.
 

Suec299

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Thanks ... my horse trailer is on the yard and will have to load up there. My problem is she can block the driveway out! I can't take the trailer to the public road and load there as one of my horses is really traffic shy and the road is very busy. It is very stressful!
 

Leandy

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No they cannot do this and they have nothing to gain if you are fully paid up. They may have a right of lien over the horse however for unpaid amounts if that is what the livery contract provides for (and it is a reasonably common traditional term in a livery contract). So if there are amounts owing then they may try to prevent removal of the horse. If it is simply that the owner is unstable and unpredictable as you say however, I would be leaving as soon as possible without telling them in advance as I would be concerned for my horse's and my safety in staying any longer. With an owner like that I would have left at the same time as giving and paying my notice to avoid this situation. Its annoying to have to pay notice when you are not using the livery but in those circumstances I would for peace of mind.
 

ArklePig

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Legally your agreement (contract) with the yard owner and your ownership of your horse are two different issues. Your horse is your property. You have the right to do what you like with your property. It's good you've paid your notice period, but even if you hadn't that's a separate issue, and if you hadn't you would still have the right to remove your horse. She's nuts and hasn't a leg to stand on.
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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Reading between the lines, there is obviously a degree of animosity going on at this yard and also no doubt "stuff going on", so I am a little reluctant to comment especially as I am a YO myself. Very often there is six of one and half-a-dozen of the other - however it DOES seem a little odd that the YO should block in someone trying to remove their horse from the yard.

Perhaps there were unpaid bills and/or breakages?? I'm not saying this was the case, but might this have been the issue??

And are there any outstanding amounts or disputes now?? Any unresolved issues?? As this might explain the YO's behaviour??

You say you have been "given notice" to leave the yard rather than yourself giving notice voluntarily, and I sense therefore that there may be some issues here....... ????

The only reason that I can think of where the YO might have to a right to stop someone leaving with their horse would be perhaps an issue where maybe the horse had been "abandoned" and the YO might then, in certain circumstances, legally have the right to sell the horse?? However I am not certain what this legislation might involve and what rights it might give a YO; but no doubt someone on here will know.

As others have suggested, if you are a BHS Gold member then you could ring their legal helpline and/or perhaps contact a solicitor with equine experience. IF you are concerned that your horse may be impounded and/or you may face an unpleasant situation then you might be advised to contact your local PCSO and ask for them to be present when you are scheduled to remove your horse, just in case there's any trouble.
 

Suec299

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No she can't and to be honest I'd think there was more to this story if it hadn't happened to me!

It my case, it was once I'd given notice the yard owner took it personally and completely turned on me :/ So obviously I wanted to move asap and everything had been paid up but she made it as hard as possible.

Turn up and remove your horse.
 

Leandy

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Thanks ... my horse trailer is on the yard and will have to load up there. My problem is she can block the driveway out! I can't take the trailer to the public road and load there as one of my horses is really traffic shy and the road is very busy. It is very stressful!

In this situation, I would make sure I did not attend alone to remove the horse. I would take someone firm and trustworthy with me. If the yard owner tried to prevent me leaving in those circumstances, I would call the police and tell them I am being threatened and am in danger of assault and a public order offence. I have known police attend in similar circumstances to keep the peace.
 

Suec299

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Reading between the lines, there is obviously a degree of animosity going on at this yard and also no doubt "stuff going on", so I am a little reluctant to comment especially as I am a YO myself. Very often there is six of one and half-a-dozen of the other - however it DOES seem a little odd that the YO should block in someone trying to remove their horse from the yard.

Perhaps there were unpaid bills and/or breakages?? I'm not saying this was the case, but might this have been the issue??

And are there any outstanding amounts or disputes now?? Any unresolved issues?? As this might explain the YO's behaviour??

You say you have been "given notice" to leave the yard rather than yourself giving notice.......... the only reason that the YO might have to stop someone leaving with their horse would be perhaps an issue where maybe the horse had been "abandoned" and the YO might then, in certain circumstances, legally have the right to sell the horse.

As others have suggested, if you are a BHS Gold member then you could ring their legal helpline. IF you are concerned that your horse may be impounded and/or you may face an unpleasant situation then you might be advised to contact your local PCSO and ask for them to be present when you are scheduled to remove your horse, just in case there's any trouble.
Thank you for your reply ..there are no issues of outstanding payment or damages. I was given notice out of the blue, the yard has a cottage and the new tenant wanted to rent the yard as well as the cottage. I was therefore given notice to leave.
 

The Jokers Girl

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No she can't and to be honest I'd think there was more to this story if it hadn't happened to me!

It my case, it was once I'd given notice the yard owner took it personally and completely turned on me :/ So obviously I wanted to move asap and everything had been paid up but she made it as hard as possible.

Turn up and remove your horse.

I had the same issue, gave months notice paid to end of notice, full diy and bought own hay and straw so no extras to pay for and yard owner blocked in the transporter. some yard owners are nuts,can you imagine the manger of co-op behaving like some Yard owners do if you decided to shop in Morrisons instead haha
 

Christmascinnamoncookie

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My old yard owner did this twice! The police were called and came, it’s false imprisonment, regardless of money/notice owed. Try your best to smile and be polite til your moving day. There’s no reason for her to want to keep you there if you’ve given correct notice. I would leave as soon as you have somewhere else to go, particularly as you’ve paid and she’s the one that gave you notice.
 

ownedbyaconnie

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I would either phone police if she blocks you in or pretend to go to a show/hack etc then go back later for your stuff.

I know a YO that refused to let someone load from the car park for literally no reason and they had to hack down the road to a pub car park!
 

Amun

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Personally I wouldn't bother to pretend I'm going hacking or anything, I would simply call the police if anyone was trying to prevent me moving my own horse. And I would definitely leave a public review about what happened to your friend.
 

McFluff

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If she has given you notice, and has someone moving to the yard, she may not treat you like your friend (I can see why you are concerned though).
I don’t like conflict, and stress isn’t good when handling horses, so I’d go for a hack or to a comp and move to new place after. I’d try and leave on good terms if I could.
Hope you have somewhere nice and sane to move to.
 

ILuvCowparsely

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I have been given notice to leave a private yard, I've paid up my rent to the end of my notice (end of April). Can the yard owner legally stop me leaving before the end of April? She tried to block in the horse transporter collecting my friends ponys last month (she left early) although she had paid up her notice in advance.

Not sure whether this is a civil matter or a criminal one if she blocks me moving my horses prior to the end of the month.

Any views?
As long as people pay their notice period, in our claws it says you can leave before as long and the notice time is paid. This person is being ridiculous, it will give them time to clean the stable out for the next one if you leave early.
 

chocolategirl

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I had the same issue, gave months notice paid to end of notice, full diy and bought own hay and straw so no extras to pay for and yard owner blocked in the transporter. some yard owners are nuts,can you imagine the manger of co-op behaving like some Yard owners do if you decided to shop in Morrisons instead haha
Running a yard can do that to you ????
 
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Goldenstar

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You can certainly leave when you choose .
I would quietly remove as much stuff as possible .
Then leave quickly and decisively preferably when the yard owners away .
I would get all the paper trial including evidence that you have paid together and screen shot any texts and have it with you when you are going just in case it goes wrong then I would just dial 999 and say someone is preventing leaving and you are terrified .
You also should also consider at least taking a large friend with you and make sure that they whip out a phone at the first show of trouble and get it all filmed .
It might be better to take a couple of people and have the whole job sorted so everyone does what they need to do quickly so the whole thing is slick and quick
Another thing to consider is saying you going on one day then leave quickly a few days earlier .
Whatever happens on the day stay calm .
I would try to talk to the other owner and try to understand why it all kicked off .
The YOer sounds like an idiot .

OP do you have your horses passport or has the yard owner got it ?
 
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Trouper

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Good advice from everyone here - just one other idea. Does the YO have a time when she is reliably off the premises or does not show herself on the yard? If so, I would work to that time so that you can just slip away when she is out of sight.
 

Winters100

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Thank you for your reply ..there are no issues of outstanding payment or damages. I was given notice out of the blue, the yard has a cottage and the new tenant wanted to rent the yard as well as the cottage. I was therefore given notice to leave.

I think that since it is the case that she needs you to vacate she will probably not cause problems. I would however be taking any expensive items home and be ready to just load the horses and go on moving day. Have you sorted new livery and would you be able to go there early? I think for your own sake it would be better to go sooner rather than later.

On moving day make sure that you have the passport, a copy of the notice that she served and the receipt for the notice period in case you do need to call the police.

Good luck and I hope that your next yard is less problematic.
 
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